I had actual friends for precisely two years of high school. Mostly just been coworkers, people at the wrong time for socialization, and people I’m afraid to talk to since. Been on three dates, none of which went anywhere. Pretty much didn’t know anyone that wasn’t a coworker or family for my entire 20s. My social skills have been atrophying for like fifteen years
M68040
joined 2 years ago
The matt Yglesias dude is getting attacked on bluesky for posting "race science is true but we should be polite about it"
Establishing that physical abuse and corporal punishment are normal early in life sets an expectation that high control institutions can exploit later in life. (Culture, political parties, religion, employers, etc.)
Ultimately a key cog in the same machine of uniformity that foists strict gender roles, heteronormativity, neurotypical-first culture and so on upon us.
If everyone is passively conditioned to behave in a tightly controlled way under threat of force by their ostensible guardians in youth, it’s not gonna seem unusual when various power players play off that same dynamic later in life.
Notably, this creates cycles of abuse as abused children go on to abuse their children - a self-reinforcing dynamic. Quite convenient for the aforementioned high control institutions.
From what I understand of my dad, he was a pretty decent guy. He died in an accident about 25 years ago. What memories I have are pleasant, going over old photos suggests he was genuinely liked, and the surviving family have only ever spoken positively of him.
I’d have potentially been a better, less bitter person overall if he was still around.
Tankies be enjoying a mecha-platformer with a great soundtrack for a Japanese workstation computer (just don’t play the SNES version it’s bad)